Should there be any play/movement fore to aft on the crank? On the smaller front seal where the fan goes, I can push/pull a little bit. Just wondering if there's a set limit on that or if it should be snug, etc.

Thanks

I know a little play is normal... but I don't know how much is considered acceptable or how you'd go about checking it for that matter...

Try running a search on the boards for it- you may come up with something

.004-.006" is the spec for a stock rebuild (if my memory serves me correctly). There are shims that you need to buy on a rebuild to set this. You'll measure the end play without the shims, subtract .005 and come up with the sizes of shims you need.
Mark D.

It's .003-.005". Sorry. Looking it up does help!
Mark D.

Until you bolt on the flywheel, there is huge play. There are three (there must be three, no more, no less) shim between the flywheel and the case that adjust the amount of end-play the crank has.

And should you have to remove the flywheel to change shims, first remove the distributor drive pinion to keep from screwing up the brass crank gear. And also when removing the the dist pinion, it has a special shim-spacer, that needs to kept from falling into the motor, it sometimes is held to the case by oil instead of the pinion, and will need to be fished out with a magnet. A little dab of grease between the pinion and spacer will keep it from falling in when re-installing the pinion.

I've been setting end play on VW and Porsche motors since 1970, and I've never heard anyone suggest you have to remove the distributor drive pinion. Not even at Porsche school. Why would you ever do that? As long as you don't turn the motor upside down, what can possibly happen?

The Cap'n

Before this goes off on a tangent, are you rebuilding the motor or did you just notice this while replacing the front seal???

Rich

I'm "rebuilding" the motor. I got it in pieces/parts and took it apart, down to the case so far. Still think I need to split the case and do the bearings, etc. But was playing with just turning it over by hand and noticed the play in the crank. There's no flywheel on it right now.

no flywheel = lots of play

"More than .005 end play she comes apart today, less than .005 put her back in play."

Aim for .003", get is as close as you can.

Actually 2 reasons. first, the crank gear is designed to turn the pinion when the crank rotates, not when the crank is pushed back and forth, which could be as much as a 1/4" if not more when the flywheel is not on.

Second, you will get better readings when trying to set the end play.

You want to try something ? Mock up a crank in a case half, move it back and forth, then put in a drive pinion, then push the crank back and forth again, if you decide to try it, let me know what you find out.

Oh, and since the motor is almost upside down you will have to put on the dist clamp to hoild the dist so the pinion doesn't fall out...

Wait, why would you move the crank fore/aft without a flywheel on it? Are you trying to damage the brass distributor drive gear or the distributor pinion?

Hi Robert

Sorry for getting your post off topic. I have opened another post, so the discussion could move there.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=88489